Ask HN: Python+Ruby hackers - which OS/distro are you using?

martey · on Sept 4, 2010

If Linux, please specify the distro, as that is basically what I am choosing between.

I use Ubuntu 10.10 (I generally switch to the development versions of Ubuntu around the second or third alphas), but I am not sure that there is much difference between similar versions of Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint (with mostly the same applications, all that would differ would be some customization). I imagine RPM-based distributions like Mandriva, OpenSUSE, and Fedora would be similar.

adbge · on Sept 4, 2010

As a Rubyist, I hack on a Linux desktop and a MacBook Pro. On my desktop, I'm running Gentoo unstable, Snow Leopard 10.6.4 on the MacBook Pro. It's been my experience, however, that Ubuntu tends to dominate the community of Rubyists using Linux.

That said, OSX seems to be the most popular choice among developers, followed by Ubuntu/Fedora/CentOS.

mhansen · on Sept 4, 2010

IMO, there's more important things to choose an OS based on. Especially since Python and Ruby are both well-supported on all of the unices.

Find an OS that makes you happy. Like the Mac interface? Go OS X. Like tiling window managers, and automatic package management? Go linux.

FWIW, I use Ubuntu 10.04.

0abdd0e66h · on Sept 4, 2010

This guy has a good point. I'm using FreeBSD 8.1 at the moment. I push my app up to a git repository and then pull it down to Linux(debian) to test it and it works. My friend pulls it down to a Mac and it works.

maxtilford · on Sept 4, 2010

I use linux: gentoo, arch, and ubuntu. But if you're using ruby, you should just use rvm. Then the distro doesn't matter that much.

baremetal · on Sept 4, 2010

Debian